Apparatus for the suspension storage of sheets and transfer apparatus



Dec. 30, 1952 2,623,526

G. H. PAGE APPARATUS FOR THE SUSPENSION STORAGE OF SHEETS AND TRANSFER APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1949 INVENTOR @6 2 flW ATTORNEY? 15 m MW 5 w W 0 2 S A 2 m S u 2 U1 As mm Sm w v 7 a N l H mm 3 m u z Em R i m m EE 2 Y GPF B SS WN-" a n A,0 EW a 1/ 4 J mD a, Sm 5 E 7 AS I Q R AF w a h A 3 m n 2 L o M 4 a a Dec. 30, 1952 Filed Oct. 10, 1949 Patented Dec. 30,1952

APPARATUS FOR THE SUSPENSION STOR- AGE OF SHEETS AND TRANSFER APPARA- TUS George Hugh Page, oologny/Geneva, Switzerland Application October 10, 1949, Serial No. 120,588 In Switzerland December 23, 1948 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the hanging storage of drawings, plans, filed materials of large size, and the like, having at least one carrying device mounted in a structural unit, for example in a cabinet or in a frame, and having files adapted to be suspended one behind the other in this carrying device, the drawings or p ans to' be stored being hung on rakes in said files. i

It is the main object of the present invention to facilitate in such apparatus, the insertion of new sheets at predetermined places in the files, or else the withdrawal of predetermined sheets from the files, without impairing the capacity of either the files or of the cabinet or frame.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organisation and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read inconnection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective view a structural unit with files suspended serially behind one another in a carrying device and holding drawings, and with a withdrawal device adapted to, move over the files on the same carrying device;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections, on a larger scale, the withdrawal device being in the open position in Fig. 2, while in Fig. 3 the withdrawal device is connected to a raised file and brought into the closed position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a latch bar for detachable mounting upon the pins of a file to prevent the filed drawings from slipping off.

The carrying device of a structural unit designed as a cabinet, frame, or wall bracket, or the like, usually comprises a pair of rails 1 disposed horizontally and so designed that the files 2, a number of which are suspended one behind the other, can be introduced from above on to the apparatus. Accordingly, support plates 3 are provided at both ends of the files and bear directly on the carrying rails. To the plates 3 is connected a rack or crosspiece 4 provided with pins manually operated closing device.

by hand and which in Figs. 1 to 3 is shown as a slotted bar I, which is pushed upon and axially of the pins 5 and can be locked thereagainst by small approximately hairpin-shaped springs 8 which are carried by the bar I and grip the respective pins 5 on lateral displacement of the bar 1. Handles 9 extend above the opposite ends of the rack 4 for convenience in lifting a file 2 from the supporting rails I when the file is to b opened.

Above the files, and on the same carrying rails I, moves the transfer or withdrawal apparatus l2, which is of such dimensions that it can slide above the suspended files along the carrying rails, can easily be lifted off the carrying device and be placed on the carrying rails of another structural unit. In an equipment having a plurality of units, it is possible to use less withdrawal apparatus than there are structural units. It is usually sufiicient to purchase only one withdrawal apparatus for several cabinets or frames. The withdrawal apparatus consists of a frame having the side limbs l3 and the connecting crosspieces I4 and I5, and also of the means of movement designed for example, as rollers l6. which are mounted in the side limbs [3. A rack or crosspiece I? is provided with pins 18 and is supported for movement with relation to .the frame by sets of parallel links l9 and 20 which suspend the crosspiece from the side members i3.

The frame of the apparatus is so designed, that the files 2 can be lifted off the carrying de' vice and hung on the crosspiece M, as shown in section in Fig. 3. The crosspiece 4 of the file 2 has to that end, in its upper part, the profile of an inverted and asymmetrical U, as can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, which corresponds to the profile of the crosspiece M. In conjunction with the arms l9 and 2B, which are pivoted at one end on the side limbs 13 of the withdrawal apparatus and at the other end on the movable crosspiece H, a parallelogram or similarly guiding of the crosspiece I? is achieved, in such a manner that the pins 18 of said crosspiece correspond in respect of arrangement and distances apart with the pins 5 on the files, and are directed horizontally in one end position (Fig. 3) while in the other end position they take up an inclined position (Fig. 2), in which the free ends of the pins i8 are higher than the parts of the crosspiece IT to which these pins are fastened.

The two afore-mentioned end positions of the movable crosspiece I"! are reached by means of a For this purpose the arms 29 are fastened to a rod 2| passing right across and pivotally mounted in the side limbs 13 of the frame. The rod 2| is turned by means of an operating member 22. This member is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, for example,

as a stirrup-shaped piece, which is rigidly joined at its ends to the arms 2%. The files 2, or also individual drawings, can be identified by means of index 23, which can be placed on the suitably designed upper-part of the crosspiece l and moved over the whole length of the file.

The mode of operation of the apparatus described is as follows:

The withdrawal apparatus !2 is first placed on the carrying rails l of the structural unit in which is located the file from which a drawing is to be removed. It is thereupon rolled or pushed over the file in question, the crosspiece ll of the withdrawal apparatus being in the open position (Fig. 2). Thereupon the selected file is gripped by its handles 9, raised, and hung on the rear crosspiece 14 of the frame of the withdrawal apparatus. The closing stirrup 22 is then moved upwards, and thus the withdrawal apparatus is brought into the closed positionshown in Fig. 3. The locking bar 3 can now be removed from the pins 5 of the file and pushed onto the pins [8 of the movable crosspiece ll.

The sheets 6 suspended on the pins 5 of the file are thereupon pushed over on to the pins N3 of the withdrawal apparatus as far as the drawing to be removed. The closing stirrup 22 is thereupon pressed down again, thus opening the withdrawal apparatus, which takes up the position shown in Fig. 2, but with the difference that it carries with it the sheets removed from the file. The inclined position of the pins I8 then prevents the sheets taken off the file from sliding off the prongs of the Withdrawal apparatus.

Finally, the drawing which is to be taken out and which is now foremost on the pins 5 or the file, is removed from the rake and taken out of the file and withdrawal apparatus, andout of the structural unit, in an upward direction. The withdrawal apparatus is then closed (Fig. 3) the remaining sheets are pushed back off the movable prong assembly on the file, the locking means is locked on the file, the withdrawal apparatus is opened again (Fig. 2) and the file is replaced in its storage position on the carrying device. The withdrawal apparatus can then be used for further withdrawal operations. The sheets taken out can be replaced, or rearranged in the file, in the corresponding manner.

While there have been shown and described the particular embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principle and gist of the invention and within the essential features ofthe invention as set forth in the claims annexed hereto.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus for the suspended storage of sheets, the combination with a pair of carrying rails, and a plurality of files supported on said carrying rails, each file including a rack bar provided with a set of pins for receiving and supporting sheets to be stored and support means at each end of the rack bar for engagement with the respective carrying rails; of transfer apparatus for supporting a selected file which is to be opened, said transfer apparatus comprising side supports, means secured to the respective side supports for mounting the transfer apparatus upon said carrying rails, a file supporting member to which a selected file may be lifted, a rack member having a set of pins thereon complementary to the set of pins of a file, means rigidly securing one of said members to and between said side supports, means supporting the other of said members on said side supports for movement to an open position in which a selected file may be lifted into position on or removed from said file supporting member and alternatively to a closed position in which the pins of the rack member aline with and contact the respective pins of the selected file to provide a support for sheets carried by the selected file, and means comprising a manually operable member for moving said other member between said alternate positions.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means of the transfer apparatus includes rollers for supporting the same on said carrying rails for movement along the same and over the files on said carrying rails.

3. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said carrying rails include an inner track and an outer track, said support means of the files rest upon said inner tracks of the rails, and said mounting means of the transfer apparatus includes means for supporting the same on the outer tracks of said rails.

4. The invention as recited in claim-1, wherein the rack bar of each file is of inverted asymmetrical U-form with the set of pin extending forwardly from the outer face of the longer side thereof.

5. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said rack member of the transfer apparatus is said other member which is supported for movement between alternate positions.

6. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein said supporting means for the rack member comprises sets of links pivotally connected between the ends of said rack member and the respective side supports of the transfer apparatus.

7. A transfer apparatus for use with a suspension filing system including carrying rails and a plurality of files supported on said rails, each file including a rack bar with pins for receiving and supporting sheets; said transfer apparatus comprising a carriage including side supports, a file supporting member to which a selected file may be lifted and supported, a rack member having pins for cooperation with the pins of a file carried by said file supporting member, means rigidly supporting one of said members on and between said side supports, means supporting the other of said members on said side supports for movement to an open position in which a selected file may be lifted into position on or removed from said file supporting member and alternatively to a closed position in which the pins of the rack member aline with and contact the respective pins of the selected file to provide a support for sheets carried by the selected file, and means comprising a manually operable member for moving said other member between said alternate positions.

8. A transfer apparatus as recited in claim '7, wherein said other member is said rack member.

9. A transfer apparatus as recited in claim '7, wherein said carriage includes means for supporting the carriage for movement on said rails and over the files supported thereon.

GEORGE HUGH PAGE.

REFERENCES orrsp UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Johanson Apr. 6, 1915 Number 

